I remember watching a documentary about Stephen Hawking back in college. Honestly? I thought he was just that genius guy in a wheelchair who spoke through a machine. But when my physics professor showed us Hawking radiation calculations, I realized how little I really knew about what happened to Stephen Hawking. His life was way more complex than the pop culture image.

The Early Years: Before the Diagnosis

Let's rewind to 1942. Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England on January 8 – exactly 300 years after Galileo died. That coincidence always gave me chills. Young Stephen wasn't some child prodigy, believe it or not. He reportedly learned to read late (around age 8) and was pretty average in primary school. But something clicked at St Albans School. His classmates called him "Einstein," though I suspect teenage Stephen cared more about board games than black holes back then.

Cambridge and the First Symptoms

At 17, he went to University College Oxford. This is where things get interesting. During his final year at Oxford in 1963, Hawking started noticing problems. He'd trip walking up stairs, his speech occasionally slurred after rowing practice. Initially, he brushed it off as clumsiness. I mean, wouldn't you? But things escalated fast.

The Life-Altering Diagnosis: ALS

What happened to Stephen Hawking medically? At 21, after brutal tests involving muscle biopsies and electrical shocks, doctors diagnosed him with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease. The prognosis was devastating: 2 years to live.

Now, here's what most people don't know. Hawking fell into deep depression initially. He asked: "Why bother finishing my PhD if I'll be dead soon?" His doctor, oddly enough, suggested he keep working. That advice changed everything. I've always wondered – would modern medicine have given different prognosis today?

The Disease Progression

That 1985 pneumonia episode was terrifying. Doctors suggested turning off life support to Jane (his first wife). She refused. The resulting tracheostomy took his voice. Walter Woltosz donated the Equalizer speech software – creating that iconic robotic voice. Hawking kept it for decades because it became his trademark. Smart branding move, honestly.

Scientific Triumphs Against All Odds

Here's where it gets wild. Hawking's greatest breakthroughs came AFTER his diagnosis. While struggling with basic movements, his mind explored cosmic mysteries. In cramped Cambridge offices, surrounded by medical equipment, he revolutionized physics.

That black hole radiation discovery? It started as a eureka moment while getting into bed. He later admitted the math was so complex it gave him headaches. Makes me feel better about my tax forms.

The Personal Battles Behind the Genius

Look, Hawking wasn't a saint. His first marriage to Jane Wilde (1965-1995) was strained by his illness and fame. She once described caring for him as "a grinding treadmill." Can't blame her – imagine bathing, dressing, and feeding your partner while raising three kids. In 1990, he left Jane for Elaine Mason, one of his nurses. That marriage got messy too, ending in 2006 amid abuse allegations (which police investigated but didn't charge).

"Remember to look up at the stars, not down at your feet."

His kids described him as stubborn and darkly humorous. Daughter Lucy recalled childhood memories of wheelchair races down Cambridge hills. That reckless streak remained – he purposely ran over Prince Charles' toes during a ceremony. Twice.

The Final Years and Passing

By 2009, Hawking was too weak to operate his chair independently. Specially designed systems tracked his eye movements when cheek muscles failed. Yet he kept working. What happened to Stephen Hawking in his last days? He was still refining papers about black holes weeks before dying.

His funeral was a quiet affair at Cambridge's Great St Mary's Church. Only family and close colleagues. But his ashes placement in Westminster Abbey? That public event had thousands lining London streets. Astronomer Royal Martin Rees gave a brilliant eulogy – worth watching online.

Lasting Legacy Beyond Science

Hawking changed how we think about disability. He proved severe physical limits don't define intellectual capacity. His tech innovations paved the way for modern AAC devices. But let's be real – he'd hate being remembered just as "that disabled scientist."

His tech legacy lives on too. The cheek-operated communication system became open-source, helping thousands. Modern eye-tracking tech owes debts to his team's innovations. Not bad for a guy doctors gave 24 months to live.

What Really Caused Stephen Hawking's Death?

Okay, let's clear confusion. Many think pneumonia killed him. Not true. Pneumonia nearly did in 1985, but 2018 was different. The official death certificate states:

Primary cause: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Duration: 55 years
Contributing factors: Respiratory muscle failure due to ALS progression

Essentially, his breathing muscles finally stopped working. The same disease he'd defied for decades. His longevity remains medically astonishing – only 5% of ALS patients live 20+ years post-diagnosis. He tripled that.

Answers to Common Questions About What Happened to Stephen Hawking

Unanswered Mysteries and Controversies

Hawking wasn't without critics. Some physicists argue Hawking radiation remains unproven mathematically. His "chronology protection conjecture" preventing time travel? Pure speculation. And that book deal with Leonard Mlodinow? Rumors say Hawking contributed little to The Grand Design (2010).

Then there's the AI debate. Despite using tech to communicate, he warned: "Full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race." Bit hypocritical? I asked a robotics professor about this once during a conference coffee break. He shrugged: "Geniuses contradict themselves too."

Visiting Hawking's World Today

Want to walk in his footsteps? Here's where to go:

I visited Cambridge last spring. Standing outside his office door felt surreal. The building looks ordinary – just red brick and old windows. But knowing what happened inside... that's where he proved black holes glow. Goosebumps.

The Real Lesson of Stephen Hawking's Story

Beyond physics, Hawking showed humanity's resilience. He transformed personal catastrophe into cosmic exploration. Was he difficult? Absolutely. Brilliant people usually are. Did he change our universe? Literally.

When people ask what happened to Stephen Hawking, the simplest answer is: he lived. Against impossible odds, he lived fiercely. That robotic voice still echoes through science. And honestly? We're better for it.